Dom Martin

Hi there,

I couldn't agree more with your review of Dom Martin's solo show. As a fan of blues music, I was excited to see him perform and was blown away by his raw talent and unique style.

What I appreciated most about Martin's performance was his openness and honesty about his personal backstory. It added depth and meaning to his music, which already had a strong emotional pull. His covers of Rory Gallagher and John Martyn songs were masterful, and his interpretations were refreshing and unique.

The transition from Stanley Myers' Cavatina to Gallagher's Western Plains was a standout moment of the show for me. Martin's ability to seamlessly blend different styles of music and make them his own is truly impressive.

Overall, the 100 minutes flew by and left me wanting more. I'm eagerly anticipating Martin's upcoming performance with a full band in October, and can't wait to see what he has in store for his fans.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this amazing performance.

Newcastle Cluny - 9th Oct 2023

Monday night at The Cluny, and there was a distinct Irish flavour in the air, and I don't mean Bushmills; Dom Martin swung back through town on the way back from the Carlisle Blues fest, and he brought along fellow Irishmen Delta Fuse as support. What a great combination.

First on to Delta Fuse, a boisterous young 3-peice band, I think formed around singer/guitarist Jack McHale, who took the stage running. For a first time in 'Toon, they promised little but delivered a hell of a lot. The tracks were bouncy, crunchy and had that certain Celtic undertone that had the feet tapping and head nodding. well, when you describe yourselves as "a Cut-Throat, Brothel Blues Rock band from Ireland: their original music is soaked in Soul and 60's Blues Psychedelia", you leave nothing to chance I guess. They certainly looked like they were having great fun on stage, as the Geordie crowd were off, and Jack engaged with the crowd like he'd known them for years. Nothing ground-breaking for sure, but a very good new band that I hope to be seeing more of in the future.
Delta Fuse - Bloodhound  -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD1YmkeLLyc

And after a relatively short break, Dom Martin took the stage and what followed was just pure class. For the major part of the show, Dom played the new album, Buried In The Hail in it's entirety; starting with the ethereal intro Hello In There and bookending with the closing instrumental Laid To Rest. The rest of the tracks, came in album order, with notes and craic from Dom as the mood and style build from the folky instrumental through the more Bluegrass/Delta and through powerful but intense Blues. Belfast Blues has the spectre of Rory Gallagher in it's DNA, but as Dom explained, the album is more him being him, not what labels expect, so it was a surprise to hear the Willie nelson penned Crazy done more in the style of Tom Waits than Patsy Cline.
Belfast Blues - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7HR6biJYJk

As I said, this main set swung in styles, but throughout, there was an undoubted intensity that made it all the more compelling. eschewing the pre-encore walk-off/walk-on, Dom and the band followed by a quick breather before launching into an extended Messin' With The Kid, extended via a Zeppelin riff, or two, to about 20 minutes of hair-flailing, string shredding ecstasy.

One of those nights that had an either/or decision, with Hamilton Loomis just up the road at Ashington; either choice would have been a good one, but now that the dust has settled, you don't get to see many shows as raw & passionate as this.

PS - notes on Dom's Buried In The Hail album as well as 2 releases from Delta Fuse to follow.